Stampede is govt’s failure, railway min must be sacked: APCC

Alleging that the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station was a result of government failure, the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has demanded the dismissal of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Addressing the media in Vijayawada on Sunday, APCC vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji called for a comprehensive inquiry into the incident. He also urged the Centre to enhance the ex gratia payment to Rs 25 lakh for the bereaved families and Rs 5 lakh for the injured.
“Unfortunately, 18 people lost their lives in the stampede in the national capital,” he lamented. Shivaji urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the incident, issue notices to the Railway Ministry and Railway Board, and conduct an inquiry.
He demanded that the issue be debated in Parliament, criticising the government for not allowing opposition leaders to raise public concerns.
“The government failed to run adequate trains for Maha Kumbh Mela pilgrims travelling to Prayagraj, yet it continues to talk about the Bullet Train,” he remarked.
Shivaji further alleged that the lack of proper arrangements for pilgrims had led to traffic jams stretching for hundreds of kilometres. “There are no adequate facilities at Prayagraj for the pilgrims. The government seems more focused on profits than on providing facilities to railway passengers,” he said.
Questioning why the platform number was suddenly changed when over 10,000 passengers were waiting, he said the decision triggered the stampede.
He also criticised the government for restricting media access to Jayaprakash Hospital, alleging that it feared exposure of the railway department’s failures.